


blessing.

by fullofhearts



Series: cats ears and top hats [2]
Category: Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, Mpreg, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-08 18:07:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17391140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullofhearts/pseuds/fullofhearts
Summary: Harith notices that Harley has been sleeping quite often. Worried, he calls for Rafaela to check on him. He didn't expect the cause of it at all.





	blessing.

**Author's Note:**

> ehh you probably know what's going to happen by the tags, but im still gonna warn you that this oneshot contains mpreg. read at your own risk :)

It all started when Harith returned home and found Harley asleep. He knew that it wasn't a big deal, since it was eleven at night already. It was only natural for Harley to be asleep during that time. But, usually, no matter how late he returns, Harley would always be awake whenever he's home. He would usually greet him at the door, offer him a drink, and they would chat for a while before going to sleep. It was their usual routine, until that day.

 

Though, Harith let it slide because—maybe Harley's training was too much, to the point where he ended up very tired. So, he just let that one go. But, soon, day after day, he started realising that Harley was sleeping more often. He would either find the mage sleeping longer than usual or often taking naps. He _had_ checked the younger mage's schedule, but found nothing that said intensive training. So, what caused the mage to become so tired? He had assumed that Harley was sick, but, after checking his temperature and seeing him while he was awake, it doesn't look like the Mage Genius was sick. Not knowing what else to do, he ended up telling Harley not to do most of the house chores if it's leading him to extreme fatigue. Unfortunately, the mage was stubborn, and he simply denied that that was the cause of his tired state.

 

Right now, Harith was staring at a sleeping Harley, and he didn't realise when his ears had drooped at the sight of the mage. He approached the Mage Genius and knelt on the ground to inspect his face. Harley didn't even twitch at the sound of him opening or closing the door, nor did he sense his presence even when his face was only inches away from him. Something was definitely wrong. And, now that he was standing near the mage, Harley's smell seemed kind of... different.

 

It was strange. Harley had a unique scent that makes him stand out among the others—though, Harith never mentioned that to him—and he would always recognise it whenever he is within his range. But, this time, his scent was slightly different. It was still _Harley's_ , but it was mixed with something else—something he couldn't quite guess what it was.

 

"Harley," Harith called, gently shaking the mage's arm. He watched as Harley slowly opened his eyes before realising that he was home. The mage moved into a sitting position while rubbing his eyes. "Are you okay?"

 

"Yeah, I'm okay," Harley responded, his voice slurred. He blinked a few times and squinted when he looked at him. "You're back? What time is it?"

 

"It's half past six now," Harith said, his eyes examining the mage in front of him. He doesn't look sick, just tired. He wanted to ask if Harley did something to himself that caused his scent to change, but the mage wouldn't understand if he started talking about scents. So, he discarded that question and asked another one. "Did you overwork yourself again? I told you already, if it's too much, you don't have to do any of the chores."

 

"No, I didn't. There were only a few things to do today, and I don't have training. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep yesterday."

 

Harith bit his lip, before he said, "Harley, you slept at seven last night and woke up at eight. That's thirteen hours of sleep."

 

Harley's brows furrowed. "I did?"

 

Harith nodded.

 

"Sorry," Harley muttered and stood up. Harith looked at him, baffled. He had no idea why the mage was apologising. It wasn't as if he was mad, he was just worried about Harley's duration of sleep. The Mage Genius added, "I cooked dinner. We can eat now if you want."

 

Harith nodded and helped the mage set the table. While setting the plates, he threw a glance at Harley, and he couldn't help but frown when the mage looked awfully tired. He could request the Headmaster to lessen Harley's training if he was training too much, but if he had no training today, and he was still tired, that meant, training wasn't the cause.

 

"I didn't cook anything fancy today," Harley said, covering his mouth when he yawned. He sat at the opposite side of the table. "Sorry if it doesn't taste good."

 

"What are you saying? I'm sure it'll taste great," Harith said, smiling a little. But then, he frowned. "But... Harley, if it's making you tired, you don't have to cook for us anymore or do any of the chores. Rest, all right? I'll handle everything."

 

"It's fine," Harley said, shaking his head. He smiled faintly. "I can do it."

 

Harith stared as Harley started eating the french fries he cooked as the side dish. Harley had no idea how worried he was right now. Seeing how constantly tired he was, maybe it was time they visit Rafaela to see if something was wrong with him. "Harley?"

 

The Mage Genius looked up.

 

"Do you want to visit Rafaela tomorrow?"

 

He half-expected for the mage to agree, but he should've known that Harley wouldn't want to check himself up if it's nothing too serious. Harley shook his head. "Nothing's wrong with me, Harith."

 

"I know you keep saying that," Harith said, his frown deepening. "But I'm just worried about you."

 

Harley's face softened, and he let out a sigh. He placed his fork and spoon down as he look at him. "How about we visit Rafaela if this continues for the next few weeks? Right now, it's not like I feel sick or anything. I'm just... tired."

 

"If you say so," Harith said, nodding.

 

He inwardly hoped that Harley was just tired. But, he couldn't help but feel like there was more to it.

 

➳

 

The next morning, Harith woke up to the sound of his alarm clock ringing. He slapped his hand onto the clock's button and turned around to face Harley. The mage was still asleep, but, as much as Harith didn't want to wake him up, he had training.

 

Just as he was about to wake up the mage, he realised that maybe he should take a shower first. That would give Harley more time to rest. With a smile, he took off his clothes, entered the bathroom, took a quick shower and wore a fresh set of clothes. He approached Harley after he was done and found the mage still asleep. Feeling slightly guilty, he shook the mage's shoulder.

 

Harley shifted a little and opened his eyes. When he saw him, he frowned and hid his whole face under the blankets. Harith couldn't help but chuckle at the mage's refusal to wake up.

 

"Harley, you have training today," Harith said, patting at where he believed was Harley's head. He could hear Harley groaning from under the blankets. "Come on, your training ends earlier than mine. You should be happy that yours is shorter."

 

"Fine," Harley grumbled and kicked the covers off him.

 

Harley was about to stand up, when his eyes widened, and he let out a quiet hiss. If Harith was a normal human, he would've missed it, but since he wasn't, he definitely heard the small sound the mage had emitted. When he turned around, he found Harley blinking rapidly while pressing his hand over his abdomen.

 

"Harley, are you okay?" Harith asked, hurrying over to the mage's side. The Mage Genius gave him a smile, but Harith could tell that it was forced. He then looked at where Harley's hand was pressed. "What's wrong?"

 

"Nothing, it's just..." He let out a deep breath and shook his head. "My stomach hurts. Maybe I'm just really hungry."

 

"Well, you didn't really eat much yesterday," Harith said, standing up. "I'll make you something while you shower, okay?"

 

"It's okay, really. I can–"

 

Harith shook his head and placed a hand over Harley's shoulder. He gave the mage a small grin. "I _insist_."

 

Harley looked at him for a while, and he sighed. Harith couldn't help but smile when the mage gave a thankful nod before entering the bathroom.

 

➳

 

It was five in the evening, and Harith had just finished today's training. Harley should've finished hours ago, so he should be home by now. As Harith moved his hand to turn the doorknob, he internally hoped that he doesn't find Harley asleep again. If this continues, then something was wrong with the mage, and Harith couldn't bear at the thought of Harley facing something bad.

 

He entered their house and was glad that Harley wasn't asleep on the couch this time. But his ears perked up the moment he heard the sound of retching. Within seconds, the smell of vomit hit his nose, and he found himself dashing upstairs towards their bedroom to see what had happened.

 

"Harley!" Harith exclaimed, running towards the bathroom.

 

His eyes widened when he found Harley sitting on the floor, throwing up everything he had eaten today. He immediately rushed to the mage's side and started rubbing the mage's back in circles. He watched in anguish as Harley continued to discard the contents in his stomach.

 

When Harley was done, only then Harith spoke. His voice was soft when he called, "Harley?"

 

"S-Sorry," Harley said, his voice barely above a whisper. Shakily, his hands moved to flush the toilet, and he leaned back against the wall with his eyes closed. "I tried cooking us dinner... but..."

 

"You idiot," Harith said, placing the back of his hand onto Harley's forehead. It felt slightly warm. "How many times have I told you not to do anything anymore? Just rest if you need it. And I don't care what you say, we're visiting Rafaela _now_."

 

Harley just nodded and tried to stand up, but the moment he was on his feet, he started swaying dangerously. However, luckily for him, Harith was standing right beside him and was able to catch him just in time.

 

Harley blinked a few times, seemingly confused on how he ended up in his arms, before looking up to meet his gaze. Harith hated how pale the mage's face was, but he was shocked when Harley said, "I'm sorry."

 

Harith's eyes widened. What was the mage saying? There was nothing he should be apologising for. "What are you sorry for?"

 

"I'm sorry if I'm a burden," Harley muttered, leaning heavily against him. "I'm just so tired these days, I don't know why."

 

Harith realised that Harley probably doesn't have enough energy to head to the infirmary now, because heading over to the academy building was a five minute walk. It looked like he had to call Rafaela here.

 

Harith frowned. "Don't ever apologise for something like that again, Harley. No matter what happens, you will never be a burden. Now, come on, let's bring you to bed."

 

It was a good thing Harley had always been smaller than him. With ease, Harith could lift him up with his arms and carried him to their bed. He never said this out loud, but Harley was never a tall person. When comparing heights with his sister—which usually ends up with the mage complaining—he was still pretty much shorter than Lesley. Lesley had always tried to act as if Harley was still growing, but they both knew that Harley had reached the age where he had stopped growing. Though, she was still nice enough to give him hopes.

 

Harley was quiet while he was in his arms. But then, he decided to break the silence. "What about Rafaela?"

 

"I'll call her here," Harith answered, placing the mage gently on their bed. Once Harley was laying down, only then he moved away. "Wait here, okay? Once we get to know what's wrong with you, we'll find a way to deal with it."

 

Harley nodded, a small smile making its way to his face.

 

➳

 

Harith waited almost impatiently as Rafaela examined Harley. Her eyes were closed, and she was currently waving her staff over the younger mage. The only indication that she was focusing was the soft hum she emitted. After a while, she opened her eyes, and Harith couldn't help but feel relieved when she smiled, because that meant Harley was facing nothing serious.

 

But it was nothing he'd expected.

 

"Oh, you don't have to worry about a thing," Rafaela said, a wide smile on her face. She looked at him, before flicking her gaze to Harley. "Congratulations, Harley, you're pregnant!"

 

_What?_

 

"You're joking, right?" Harley chuckled, looking at the support with a small grin. But Rafaela gave him an apologetic smile and shook her head. Harley stiffened, his grin fading as fast as it appeared. "You're not joking?"

 

When Harith looked at Harley, he found the mage slowly breathing heavily. That was _not_ good. "Harley–"

 

"I'm pregnant," Harley said, his face horrified. He looked like he was still trying to absorb the information in his head, but Harith could tell, Rafaela's words were slowly dawning upon him. Harley looked at Rafaela, his face in disbelief. "Please tell me again you're not joking. This couldn't be real– I'm a guy!"

 

"Yes, but it _could_ happen," Rafaela said and looked up thoughtfully. "I found a few that were given the ability to conceive actually. I'm not sure how, but all of them said that they were blessed by the–"

 

"Magical Goddess," Harith finished, his eyes widening. He looked at Harley and found the mage emotionless. "Harley–"

 

"I'm pregnant," Harley said, his voice quiet. Within seconds, the smell of salt hit Harith's nose, and he realised that Harley was holding back tears from falling off his cheeks. Though, with his shoulders quivering, it wasn't hard to guess that he was crying. The mage lowered his head. "I'm only sixteen, and I'm carrying."

 

"Harley..."

 

"What are my parents going to say?" Harley said, wiping the tears angrily with his hand. He looked at him with his face furious. "What is _Lesley_ going to say?!"

 

Harith knew that Harley was just as scared and confused as he was. And, with his current state, it could only explain why he was very emotional at the moment. It was a good thing he was always cool-headed, because, had he been someone else, he was sure he would've yelled back, and that would end up _horrible_.

 

"Harley, it's not a bad thing," Rafaela spoke, her face softening. "Consider it a blessing that you are able to have a child—something others would've wanted."

 

"Yeah, but–" Harley covered his mouth and gagged. "Oh god, I think I'm going to puke."

 

Harith was quick to get a basin, just in time before Harley decided to throw up. Harley continued discarding whatever was left in his stomach, and Harith didn't realise when his ears had drooped at the vomitting sounds Harley was making. It sounded so painful, he wished he could end his suffering. Maybe this was all his fault. He _had_ heard about Harley being blessed by the Magical Goddess, and he should've find out what _that_ meant before doing— _yeah_. Or maybe he should've waited until Harley was older before making a move. Either way, it was too late to change anything, because what was done had been done, and he could only hope for the best in the future.

 

"Harley," Rafaela called, right after the mage had finished puking. Harley looked at her, his face expressing that he was beyond exhausted. "You need a lot of rest. Pregnancy is one thing, but, for a mage, it's more tiring—and I mean _more_ tiring. Because the baby will continously suck your energy as it grows."

 

Harley opened his mouth to respond, but ended up coughing instead. Harith patted his back and looked at Rafaela. He asked, "What else do we need to know?"

 

"Well... while he's pregnant, he needs to eat and sleep a lot." Rafaela gave Harley a sympathetic smile. "He'll also get hurt easier, so you must take care of him, Harith. You need to make sure he's healthy physically _and_ mentally."

 

Harley glowered at the angel. "It sounds like Harith is going to babysit me."

 

"If you would like to call it that way, then yes, Harith _is_ going to babysit you—but that's his job." Rafaela tilted her head in genuine confusion. "Didn't you two make some kind of promise or something before you two have–"

 

"Yes, yes, we get it," Harith interrupted, inwardly cringing at the next word Rafaela was going to use. It wasn't as if they were unfamiliar with _it_ , but it was just embarrassing to mention it out loud. "I'll take care of him."

 

"Good," Rafaela said, clapping her hands. She turned her head to look at Harley. "Now, you need to visit me every four weeks. Or, if you're too tired, you can always call me to visit your home. I need to know how the baby is doing."

 

Harley mumbled something inaudible under his breath. It was Harith who responded, "All right, Rafaela."

 

After thanking the angel for examining Harley, the angel left, her face smiling the whole time. Harith had to tell her not to reveal it to anyone, and Rafaela agreed not to say a word until Harley was ready to announce it. Harith knew that Harley was still unprepared to handle this, so it would be better if they kept this hidden from everyone. It was a good thing Rafaela was the one that checked Harley. Had it been Angela, the whole academy would know by now about Harley's condition.

 

When Harith went back upstairs, he found Harley leaning against the headboard, his eyes staring at the distance. He knew that the next topic was going to be hard to discuss, but they have to discuss it at one point. "Harley?"

 

Harley seemed to snap out of his stupor and looked up. "What?"

 

"Are you mad about this?"

 

Surprisingly, Harley shook his head. Harith took a moment to examine the mage, and he was glad that the news about him carrying wasn't causing him to panic anymore. The mage said, "No, I'm not mad. I guess I'm just shocked, that's all."

 

Harith smiled and sat across him. "I know. Knowing how unusual this is, it's only natural for you to be scared."

 

Harley nodded before crossing his legs. "Do you think Lesley's going to hate me because of this?"

 

Harith could feel his brows knitting at the mage's question. "Why would you think like that?"

 

"I don't know," Harley said, looking down. "I mean, I'm a guy. Isn't it weird for guys to—you know? And I'm only sixteen."

 

Harith was quiet for a moment. He honestly had no idea how Lesley would react. The sniper is sweet and kind-hearted, but there _are_ ways to get on her bad side. For example, if anything bad happens to Harley. So, does this count as a good thing or a bad thing? Lesley had been supportive when she found out that they were in a relationship, but what happens if she finds out that her younger brother was pregnant? With Harley carrying, that meant her brother would be weakened and would often get sick, and Harith was sure Lesley wouldn't like that.

 

"If anything happens," Harith said, looking at Harley, "I will take full responsibility for what is happening to you. It's my fault that you're in this state. Maybe I should've waited until you're older."

 

Harley's eyes widened, and Harith caught the fury glinting in his eyes. The mage immediately shifted so that they could look each other face to face.

 

"If I hear you say that again, I'll cripple you to the point where you can never urinate again," Harley said, his voice grim. Harith was taken aback by how threatening that sounded because— _damn_ that meant he was going to lose his most valuable asset. The Mage Genius then added, " _I_ agreed to be in this relationship. _I_ let you do what you did, so I don't see why _you_ are to blame for this. If my sister plans to kill somebody, then she can go ahead and kill me, because all of the things that happened is because of _my_ decision."

 

Harith's face softened. "But she will never do that to you. She loves you too much. She's probably going to aim her anger at someone other than you—which is most likely me."

 

"I won't let her," Harley said, his face determined. Harith watched as the mage let out a shaky breath before leaning back against the headboard. Harley closed his eyes, and he continued in a low voice, "If anyone wants to blame you for it, they have to go through _me_."

 

Harith smiled. Harley may have forgotten that _he_ was the one currently pregnant, so it should be the other way around. If anyone wanted to hurt him, they had to go through _him_.

 

He watched as Harley's breathing slowed, and he realised that the mage was about to sleep. He moved closer to the mage and shook his shoulder. "Harley, sleep properly. You're going to hurt your back if you sleep like that."

 

Harley was slightly startled when he shook him, and he felt guilty, because that meant Harley had accidentally fallen asleep. He could see the faint, red tint on the younger mage's cheeks, before the mage moved to position himself into a lying position.

 

"Sorry, I didn't realise I've fallen asleep," Harley said sheepishly.

 

Harith chuckled and decided to lay down next to the mage. He watched as the corner of Harley's lips twitched upwards, before the mage turned to sleep on his side, his back facing against him. Harith knew what that gesture meant, and he inched closer to the mage to place a hand around his waist and pull him closer. With this close proximity, he could hear the other mage's heartbeat slowing down, until it beats into a steady rhythm.

 

➳

 

"Harith, I want to visit Lesley today."

 

Harith stopped eating midway, his food almost entering his mouth. He looked at the mage in front of him and found his face serious. It wasn't as if he was going to stop Harley—he _was_ prepared to face his sister's reaction—but what about Harley himself? Was _he_ prepared to accept his sister's reaction, including the worst? He didn't want Harley to be deeply affected if Lesley ends up reacting badly.

 

"Harley, are you sure?" Harith asked, his brows furrowing.

 

"I mean, one way or another, Lesley _is_ going to find out." Harley stared at his food, which had barely been touched. "Might as well I get this over with."

 

"If you want," Harith said, giving the mage a miniscule smile. "After breakfast, we can head over to your sister's house."

 

Breakfast turned out to be a problem because Harley, all of a sudden, became nauseous when he was about to eat bread. The moment he tried eating it, he gagged, and the next thing they both knew, the mage was already running towards the guest bathroom and throwing up everything inside of him. Harith was at his side, rubbing the mage's back. He couldn't help but feel worried, because it wasn't as if Harley had eaten much yesterday, and he hadn't even had breakfast yet. Yet, he was still vomitting.

 

Harley let out a shuddering breath, his face over the toilet. "I hate bread."

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you would become nauseous because of it," Harith said, frowning. He watched as the mage shook his head and mouthed the words; _not your fault_. Harley then started coughing, and Harith continued to rub his back. "I'll make you something else, okay? What food do you think you can eat–"

 

All of a sudden, the doorbell rang, and Harley gestured for him to open it while he stayed in the bathroom. Harith nodded and hurried to the door. Who would visit so early in the morning? He was about to greet the person at the door, when the person shoved him aside and ran to the guest bathroom—where Harley was at. Harith momentarily panicked at the unexpected intruder, but his heart beat even faster when he caught sight of the familiar magenta hair.

 

_Lesley._

 

"Harley!" Lesley exclaimed, entering the bathroom. Her eyes widened at the sight of her brother, and she knelt on the floor to inspect him. "Oh my god. Harley, what happened?!"

 

Harith was about to explain, when Gusion appeared beside him. The man looked just as shocked as the sniper. "What happened?"

 

Lesley slowly turned around, and her eyes were slits when she faced him. Harith could feel himself instinctively taking a step back, sensing the danger that radiated around her. Lesley's voice was dangerously low when she said, "I thought we had a deal that you would take care of my brother, you–"

 

"Lesley, stop," Harley called weakly, grabbing at his sister's hand before Lesley could make a move. Lesley paused in between her movements and faced him with confusion written on her face. Harley continued, "It's... it's not his fault."

 

"What do you mean?" Lesley asked.

 

"I... I know this is weird, but..." Harley rubbed his temple with both of his eyes closed. "I... I'm pregnant."

 

" _What_?!" Lesley said, her eyes becoming wide. At first, she stared at her brother in shock. But when she realised that Harley wasn't kidding, she looked at Harith, her body shaking slightly from anger. "You have ten seconds to explain to me what kind of nonsense my brother is speaking."

 

"It's true," Harith said, his ears drooping. Lesley gasped, while Gusion's jaw just dropped. Harith added in a quiet voice, "It's not a joke. He really is pregnant."

 

Lesley exchanged looks between him and her brother. " _How_?"

 

"It's the blessing of the Magical Goddess," Harith answered.

 

Lesley just stared at her brother for a long time. Gusion, beside her, just kept his mouth shut. He doesn't seem like he wanted to get involve and was only waiting for Lesley's reaction. Harith, on the other hand, was grateful that the mage assassin was giving Lesley the space she needed to think about the situation. As Lesley continued to gaze at Harley, Harith watched as the mage lowered his gaze, his cheeks colouring due to shame, and Harith wished he could help him—but he had no idea what to do.

 

After a long, uncomfortable silence, only then Lesley broke it. "Harley, are you okay with this?"

 

"What?" Harley looked up, his face puzzled. "Aren't you mad?"

 

"Why would I be?" Lesley said, her features softening. She knelt on knee, placed a hand over her brother's cheek and gave it a light pinch. "I'm okay with everything, as long as you're okay with it. I mean, I'm not really happy that you're carrying at such a young age, but, as long as you're fine with it, I don't mind. Even though it's slightly weird, but I'm happy for you."

 

Harley looked at his sister, his eyes welling up with tears, and Lesley didn't hesitate to throw her arms around her brother. Harith let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. At first, he thought that Lesley would get mad at Harley for getting himself in this situation. But he should've known that Lesley loves her brother too much to be angry about this.

 

"Wait, wait, so let me get this straight," Gusion interrupted all of a sudden, pointing towards Harley. Lesley pulled away, looking at the man with a perplexed expression. "He's only sixteen, a guy, and he's having a child."

 

Lesley smiled at him. "I know it's hard to believe it, but–"

 

"How come _you're_ not pregnant yet?!" Gusion blurted out, aiming his index finger at Lesley. "I mean, look at your brother. I _told_ you we should've done it yesterday—but no. You were _so_ worried about your brother, you didn't want to–"

 

Lesley looked at Harley with a strained smile before standing up. "Give me a minute, please."

 

➳

 

Gusion was currently sulking at a corner after he had a _nice, harmless_ talk with Lesley. The sniper had dragged the Holy Blade outside of the bathroom, and Harith could very well hear the barely suppressed screech Gusion emitted. Though, he pretended not to hear it. Harley, however, had no idea what Lesley did to the man, and it was a good thing he didn't have enhanced hearing, because he would find out how scary his sister was after hearing what she had done to Gusion.

 

Right now, they were all sitting at the table, having lunch together. Lesley had cooked some mushroom soup for her brother, guessing that he might be able to eat it without vomitting, and she was right when Harley was able to eat it no problem. It was a good thing Lesley knew what was best for her brother, because she was able to help save a lot of trouble for him.

 

Harith noticed that Harley had been really silent ever since Lesley and Gusion got here. Whether it was due to embarrassment or fatigue, he wasn't sure. At first, he seemed okay after revealing to Lesley that he was pregnant, but it looked like he was still unprepared to discuss about the topic.

 

"So, how did you know Harley was–" Harith stopped himself, suddenly feeling embarrassed to mention the word. "You know."

 

Lesley smiled warmly. "My instincts have been kicking at me nonstop. The moment I felt it, I knew something was wrong. No thanks to Gusion, I delayed my visit."

 

In the distance, Harith could hear Gusion letting out a huff of annoyance.

 

Lesley looked at Harley, and the mage ended up staring at his food. Unexpectedly, the sniper encircled her hand around his wrist and frowned. "Harley, you have to eat more, okay? You're really skinny for someone who is pregnant, and it's concerning. I don't want you to end up weak and sickly."

 

Harley was surprised by the sudden gesture. Nonetheless, he bobbed his head. "I will."

 

Lesley then looked at Harith, a small grin on her face. "And you, Harith, I want you to take care of my brother. Mages are really fragile when they're pregnant." She then leaned closer to him, and he could feel a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead when a shadow loomed over her face. A menacing smile took over her lips, and he couldn't help but notice how her hazel eyes gleam under the ceiling light. "If I _ever_ hear you mistreating my brother, or take advantage of him in his current state..."

 

Harith shuddered when Lesley met his gaze, and he watched as the sniper mouthed the words;

 

**_I'll kill you._ **

 

Harley glanced at his sister, unaware of the threat that held under her gaze. He rolled his eyes. "Lesley, he won't ever do that."

 

"I'm just saying, Harley," Lesley said, sending him a smile. She looked back at Harith, and he was glad when the threatening look she had was now gone. "I know he's a good person. I'm just saying that there _will_ be consequences if anything happens to you."

 

Harith gave her a small nod. "I promised I would take care of your brother, and I'm still planning to do that."

 

Lesley's face softened. "Good."

 

All of a sudden, Harley propped his face in his hand and let out a huff of frustration. He mumbled, "You two sound like I can't do things myself when I'm pregnant. I'm not going to be _that_ weak."

 

Lesley chuckled, and Harith had to hold back his tongue from telling Harley that the mage didn't even have enough strength to walk to their bed the other day after vomitting. And this was only the beginning. He couldn't imagine how weak Harley was going to be in his later stages.

 

"I can't believe that brat gets to have a kid first," Gusion grumbled while scooping out some mushroom soup. "Meanwhile, _we_ were the ones that got married first."

 

Lesley covered her mouth to hold herself back from laughing. A sneaky grin grew on Harley's face, and Harith could tell that the Mage Genius was planning to tease the mage assassin for not having a child first.

 

Lesley then looked at him and gestured for him to follow her. Harith raised his brows, but stood up to follow the sniper.

 

"Where are you two going?" Harley asked, looking at them.

 

"I need to talk to him in private for a while," Lesley said, smiling at her brother. "We'll be right back."

 

➳

 

Harith was happy when Lesley had given him tips on how to take care of her brother. She had told him how a woman—her brother—would act when he's pregnant, and Harith couldn't help but imagine if Harley _does_ act like that. Before she left with Gusion, she kept reminding him to take care of her brother, and Harith couldn't help but smile at Lesley's overprotectiveness.

 

The next few days was just Harley feeling nauseous. There _were_ times when he ended up vomitting, and those were the times Harith disliked the most, because that would always leave the mage barely able to walk. Harith had also told the Headmaster about Harley's condition. The Headmaster didn't announce it, but he agreed to cancel all further trainings for Harley. He was surprised with Harley's condition, but he didn't question too much about it and only congratulated them.

 

Harith's training time had also been lessen. The Headmaster was understanding enough to know that he always needed to be with Harley. If he wasn't at home to take care of the mage, a support would be sent to take care of him. So, that meant, all the supports knew about Harley's condition, including Angela. This meant that the whole academy was going to find out about it soon.

 

Harith was currently busy wiping the counter while Harley was watching TV. Ever since he found out Harley was pregnant, he had forbid the mage to do any of the house chores. It earned him protests at first, and there _were_ times where Harley would quietly do them without him noticing, but when the mage was too tired to do it, he would end up sleeping, and Harith would end up completing them.

 

"Harith?" Harley called from the living room. Harith's ears perked up at his name, and he turned around, only to find Harley looking at him from the couch. "Can you buy me some Honey Butter Chips?"

 

"Harley..." Harith walked over to the living room and looked at the mage. Harley was looking at him with so much anticipation, it was hard to break the news. He glanced at the television and found the TV displaying an advertisement where a child was eating Honey Butter Chips. He inwardly cursed at the TV for showing that. He glanced back at the mage. "I'm sorry, but you know we can only get them from Korea."

 

"But–" Harley looked at the TV and sighed. He nodded, and Harith could see the very disappointed look on the mage's face. "Okay."

 

Harith couldn't bear to look at the dejected look Harley was giving. He knew he had to do _something_ to make it happen. He sat next to the mage and faced him. "But that doesn't mean I won't try. I'll find a way to get them, all right? But please don't try to get your hopes too high."

 

Harley's frown morphed into a smile, and Harith couldn't help but grin at the mage's expression. Harley's genuine smiles were infective, and to see him smile like that, it would always leave Harith with a fuzzy feeling inside.

 

"Thanks, Harith," Harley said, leaning closer to him and laying his head over his shoulder.

 

A wide, stupid grin took over Harith's face.

 

If he was training right now, he was sure his magic would be bursting out of him right now.

 

➳

 

"Honey Butter Chips?"

 

Harith nodded.

 

"Forgive me. I just went back from my home town a week ago, and I did not purchase any extra of those," Yi Sun-shin said, frowning. "I only bought enough for Gusion. If you want, maybe you can buy from him?"

 

Harith's face lightened up at the idea. That was right. Gusion _loves_ Honey Butter Chips. He should've went to his house earlier. He was sure that the mage assassin still had some bags left. He thanked the marksman and hurried to Lesley and Gusion's house. He could feel himself getting excited at the thought of obtaining something that was impossible. Imagining Harley's happy face, he couldn't help but grin at the thought of it.

 

He reached Lesley and Gusion's house within minutes. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. A few seconds later, the door opened, and he was greeted by a mage assassin, whose hair was disheveled and his eyes were drooping.

 

"Hey," Gusion said, covering his mouth when he yawned. "What's up?"

 

"I was wondering if you have a bag of Honey Butter Chips," Harith responded, giving him a sheepish smile. "Harley's craving for it right now, and I don't know where else to find it in a short amount of time."

 

Gusion narrowed his eyes. "No. Sorry man, but the Honey Butter Chips are off limits."

 

Harith frowned. "I'm willing to pay more than the original price."

 

Gusion shook his head and crossed his arms. Then, a smug appeared on his face. "If the brat wants it, he has to ask it from _me_."

 

Harith sighed. "You're just going to taunt him."

 

"Hell yeah I do," Gusion said, rubbing his palms with a mischievous smile. "This is the perfect opportunity to–"

 

Lesley peered over the mage assassin's shoulder, and Gusion shrieked at her abrupt presence. The sniper gave her husband a smile, before she turned to look at Harith. "Hello, Harith. What brings you here?"

 

Thank goodness Lesley was here. It would be easier to settle this. Gusion, however, was determined to get his plan working. "Lesley, it's nothing–"

 

"I'm just asking if Gusion has some extra Honey Butter Chips. Harley's really craving for them at the moment," Harith answered.

 

"Really? Well, come on in. Gusion has _tons_ of those," Lesley said, giving him a heartwarming smile. She led Harith inside their house, and Harith gave the mage assassin an apologetic smile when he buried his face in frustration. Lesley showed him where they kept the Honey Butter Chips. "How much does he want? I'll be happy to give him all if he really wants it."

 

"But Lesley–" Gusion whined.

 

"Come on, Gusion. Are you really going to treat Harley like that?" Lesley said, eyeing the mage assassin. She crossed her arms and glowered at the man. "Oh, so when _I'm_ pregnant, you're going to be stingy with your Honey Butter Chips too?"

 

Gusion was quick to shake his head. "No, of course not! I'll give you everything you want."

 

Lesley's frown turned into a smile. She then cupped his cheek and gave the man a sneaky grin. "If you give Harley what he needs, I'll give you something _better_ for being such a generous man. Right after Harith leaves."

 

Harith could feel his cheeks growing warmer, but Gusion's face looked like he might explode. He gave the sniper a vigorous nod before looking at him. "Just take as much as you need. And hurry up, we don't have all day."

 

With a big smile, Harith took some of the Honey Butter Chips before thanking the couple. He left just as soon as he heard kissing noises, and he shuddered at the thought of—whatever the two were doing in there.

 

He arrived home and found Harley asleep on the couch with the TV turned on. The mage was currently laying on his side, a hand under the side of his face, with his body all curled up. Harith smiled at the sight of him and placed the snacks onto the dining table. He then went back to the living room and knelt in front of the currently sleeping Harley. Looking at the younger mage's peaceful face, he couldn't help but feel the need to brush some of his hair. He soon realised his mistake, because Harley stirred and was now looking at him with half-lidded eyes.

 

"Hey, I'm back," Harith said, giving him an apologetic smile. "Sorry for waking you up. I brought home some Honey Butter Chips you wanted."

 

Harley's face immediately lightened up. He shifted into a sitting position and looked around. "Really?"

 

"Yeah." Harith went over to the dining table and grabbed a bag of Honey Butter Chips. He handed it to the mage. "Here."

 

Harley's eyes widened as he stared at the snack. He looked up, his face bewildered. "How?"

 

Harith smiled. "I went over to Gusion's place. It turns out he has lots of them."

 

Harley stared at the bag of food in his hand. Harith waited for him to eat it, but when he noticed that the mage wasn't opening it, he was starting to wonder if something was wrong.

 

"Harley?" Harith questioned.

 

"I'm sorry... it's just..." Harley's eyes were watering, and Harith panicked when the tears started flowing down his cheeks. It had been a while since he had seen Harley cry, and when he does, it usually meant things were _bad_. Harley quickly wiped his face and averted his gaze. His voice was barely above a whisper when he said, "Thank you."

 

With a small smile, Harith sat next to the mage and pulled him closer with his arm. Harley leaned against his shoulder while feeding himself some chips. From the corner of his eye, Harith could see Harley smiling, and he couldn't help but do a mental victory dance at the success of making Harley happy.

 

_Mission success._

 

➳

 

Mood swings.

 

Why was he thinking about this now? Because, right now, Harley looked like he wanted to destroy the whole house. He was currently yelling at him, accusing him, all because of something he had witnessed an hour ago—which he had totally misunderstood.

 

Harith had been trying to calm him down, but with Harley looking like he was going to attack, it was hard to approach him without getting hurt. So that left him with keeping a very safe distance from the mage.

 

"Harley, you have to listen to me. I–"

 

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" Harley shouted, throwing a lamp worth a hundred dollars. Ah, it seemed that the item was meant to be sacrificed. "I _saw_ how you look at her! You were just trying to flirt her with your charming looks!"

 

Maybe it was a bad idea to bring Harley to the academy, but it couldn't be helped. Harley was bored at home, and it wasn't as if Harley's condition was a secret anymore (thanks, Angela). So Harith decided to take a quick stroll with him around the academy. That was when Nana appeared and started hugging him. It wasn't as if the cat elf didn't hug Harley too, but the mage was so distracted with Nana hugging him, he eventually forgotten that Nana was just the friendly type that would throw hugs whenever she misses someone. That was when Harley's face turned gloomy, and he started heading back home. Harith had expected the hell that awaits him when they reach home, and, for the first time, his instincts didn't disappoint.

 

"Harley, I have _no_ feelings towards Nana. I told you that many times!" Harith said, dodging when Harley threw a pillow from the couch. "She hugs us _both_ , Harley. _Both_. Why can't you–"

 

"Oh, so it's on me now?" Harley asked, crossing his arms. His expression darkened, and Harith realised that he may have angered the mage a little further. "Don't you dare blame me for this. It's all on _you_."

 

Harith wasn't even blaming anyone for anything, but Harley couldn't seem to think straight enough to understand what he was actually implying. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Lesley had warned him that her brother may have an incredible temper while he's carrying, and it looked like she was right. But can't he be a little more reasonable?!

 

All of a sudden, Harley let out a cry of pain, and Harith was instantly at his side to check on him. Harley was currently on his knees, his hands wrapped around his abdomen. The mage was so distracted with the pain coming from his stomach, he didn't realise when he had leaned against him.

 

"Harley, are you okay?" Harith asked, watching as Harley pressed his hands against his midsection. "You're having stomach cramps again, are you? Hold on, let me get some some hot water and–"

 

Just as he was about to stand up, Harley grabbed his hand, stopping him. Harith looked at him in confusion, and he found the mage with his eyes tearful.

 

Oh no, Harley was going to cry again.

 

"I'm sorry," Harley said, releasing his grip on him. The mage looked at him, and Harith could see him blinking rapidly to stop the tears from flowing. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I just–"

 

"Hey, it's okay," Harith spoke, softly. Harley inhaled sharply, and he wrapped a hand around the mage to comfort him. "I know. Your emotions are all mixed up. I understand."

 

"I didn't mean to yell at you."

 

"I know," Harith said, his voice gentle. He wiped some of the tears with his thumb and looked at the mage. "Now, wait here. I'm going to help you with that stomach of yours."

 

Harley nodded, and Harith stood up and went into the kitchen. He poured some hot water into a rubber hot water bottle and motioned towards the mage. Harley was currently leaning against the wall, his eyes closed and his hands rubbing his stomach.

 

"Here," Harith said, giving the mage the rubber hot water bottle. "It's not too hot, so you can put it on your stomach now."

 

"Thank you, Harith," Harley said, smiling, and placed the rubber bottle onto his stomach. A soft hum emitted from the mage. "This is nice."

 

Harith couldn't help but inwardly sigh. Harley could go from timid to a demon in a matter of seconds, and Harith won't be expecting it. Some things could easily trigger his anger, and there are things that he found that could also upset the mage. Once, he remembered, he was busy chopping some food, when Harley started crying all of a sudden. When he asked why, Harley just couldn't explain it and blamed the onions that he was cutting.

 

The problem was, he had been slicing mushrooms.

 

Of course, soon, Harith found out that Harley would get emotional whenever he sees him holding a knife. He had no idea why, but it would just made him cry. So, whenever he decides to chop some vegetables, he would always ask the mage to watch TV and not turn around.

 

"Harith?"

 

Harith's ears twitched and he looked up, only to find Harley with a solemn expression. The Mage Genius lowered his gaze, and he ended up staring at the rubber water bottle in his hand. He tilted his head. "Yes?"

 

"I'm sorry for accusing you," Harley said, his voice quiet. There was a sniffle, and his eyes widened when he realised that the mage was going to cry again. "I know you don't have feelings for Nana. I don't know why, but my brain wouldn't stop telling me that you have a thing for her–"

 

"Hey, it's okay." Harith sat on the floor next to Harley and crossed his legs. He placed a hand over the mage's arm. "I already told you I understand. This pregnancy thing does a lot of changes to you. As long as you don't get hurt, I'm fine, Harley."

 

"But isn't it annoying to get yelled at for something you didn't do?" Harley asked bitterly. "Not only am I troubling you, but I'm acting like a total bi–"

 

"Don't you dare say that," Harith interrupted, his voice firm. He gave the mage's arm a small squeeze, a sign of reassurance. "Harley, before we agreed to be together, I told you already; I would do _anything_ to keep you happy. I would fulfill my responsibilities—which means I would take care of you no matter what happens. I don't care if I have to search high and low for the food you want, get scolded for whatever reason, or do every house chore. It's a promise I made, and it's a promise I will keep."

 

"But I–"

 

Harith raised an index finger, silencing the mage. He gave Harley a small smile. "It's my turn to repay you now. You have no idea how much you've done for me. You sacrificed your time and energy to clean up the house whenever I'm not around, you sacrificed your sleep just to wait for my return, and you would do all those other things just to brighten up my day. If anything, _I've_ been the one troubling you, and I never thank you enough for the things you did for me. So, thank you, Harley, for being the best spouse I could ever ask for."

 

Harley's face flushed a crimson, and Harith could see his lips quivering to form a sentence. He couldn't help but grin. Everyone sees Harley as the type that would brush off a compliment, but, in reality, he was the type that would be easily embarrassed if someone praises him. The boastful appearance he had was just a facade, and Harith was glad that he was the one that was able to see through it whenever no one is around.

 

"Thank you, Harith," Harley muttered, his head lowered.

 

Harith smiled, and, all of a sudden, he felt like he wanted to tease the mage a bit. He leaned closer towards the mage and whispered in his ear, "I love you."

 

Harley's eyes grew wide, and Harith chuckled as he watched the mage's face turned redder than it already has. Harley quickly looked away. His voice was low when he spoke it, but with Harith's enhanced hearing, he could hear the mage's words when he mumbled, "I love you too."

 

Harith grinned.

 

_He really is cute._

**Author's Note:**

> im gonna be honest; i didn't know how to end this oneshot lmao but i hope you guys still enjoyed it ♡


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